Prayers for 17th May

Today’s thoughts are provided by Rev. Kofi Amissah

Most of you are aware that I am writing these reflections for prayers from sunny Ghana where I am locked up since 30th April 2020, after my Sabbatical and now waiting for the earliest opportunity to return to Wet Wales. So, for today 17th, tomorrow 18th and later on 25th and 30th, we reflect together on the names four Ghanaian languages and cultures give to the Month of May. These languages and cultures are: Mfantse, Twi, Eʋe and Gá.

The Mfantses of Ghana call the month of May ‘Esusow Aketseaba’, literally, ‘little rainy season’. May officially marks the beginning of the major rainy season (May to July). During this time, the farming community put in their best effort to produce most of their food and cash crops. Seeds have already been sown in anticipation of the rain and these farmers pray that God will bless them with abundant rain leading to bountiful harvest.

Every now and then, we all sow seeds in our family life, work, and faith that we wait for both spiritual and physical rain to fall so they will germinate and bear abundant fruit. Deuteronomy 28:12 reads: ‘The Lord will open the heavens, the storehouse of his bounty, to send rain on your land in season and to bless all the work of your hands. You will lend to many nations but will borrow from none’.

So, pray that God will open the heavens and send rain on our land and seeds to bless all the work of our hands.

Rain has the capacity to create floods that washes the surface of the earth carrying every dirt and debris with it. Pray that a heavenly flood will be released to wash away COVID-19 from the face of the earth.

Pray for all those infected or affected by COVID-19, that God will heal, comfort, guide and sustain them.

Pray for God’s abundance to fill the earth that poverty, lack and scarcity will be dealt with decisively.

Pray for the Methodist Church and the Methodist Synods in Wales that God will rain revival upon us in these end times.

Bring your own needs before God and ask him to help you make good use of all that you have learnt throughout this tough time.